Liverpool must keep 'world-class' Daniel Sturridge - Brendan Rodgers

Daniel Sturridge has scored six Premier League goals in his last two seasons for Liverpool due to injury problems.

Liverpool should do everything they can to keep Daniel Sturridge and ensure their "world-class player" returns to full fitness, former Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers has told talkSPORT.

Sturridge, 26, scored 21 goals for Liverpool during the 2013-14 season as Rodgers' side narrowly missed out on the Premier League title, but the striker has struggled with numerous injury problems since.

The England international played just 12 league games last season -- with seven starts -- and has only made five appearances this term, with new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp saying in November that the forward must "learn what is serious pain and what is only pain."

But Rodgers has urged his former club to keep hold of forward and give him time to fully recover, saying: "What's so frustrating as a manager is he is a genuinely world-class player. Nine out of 10 players like that in that situation -- you maybe would sell.

"In the first couple of years when we were building at Liverpool, that quartet of him, Luis [Suarez], Raheem [Sterling] and [Philippe] Coutinho was incredible. They were unplayable.

"He's a player that makes a difference. When you have that type of player you want to do everything you can for them.

"In the last couple of years, it's been one thing after another for injuries. He's a really good guy, he's a great fella, he wants to play but it's just difficult for him to get that run of games, or run of training."